संस्पृश्य तानि चापानि भानुमन्ति बृहन्ति च ॥
वैराटिर् अर्जुनं राजन्न् इदं वचनम् अब्रवीत् ॥
उत्तर उवाच
बिन्दवो जातरूपस्य शतं यस्मिन् निपातिताः ॥
सहस्रकोटि सौवर्णाः कस्यैतद् धनुर् उत्तमम् ॥
वारणा यस्य सौवर्णाः पृष्ठे भासन्ति दंशिताः ॥
सुपार्श्वं सुग्रहं चैव कस्यैतद् धनुरुत्तमम् ॥
तपनीयस्य शुद्धस्य षष्टिर् यस्येन्द्रगोपकाः ॥
पृष्ठे विभक्ताः शोभन्ते कस्यैतद् धनुर् उत्तमम् ॥
सूर्या यत्र च सौवर्णास् त्रयो भासन्ति दंशिताः ॥
तेजसा प्रज्वलन्तो हि कस्यैतद् धनुर् उत्तमम् ॥
शालभा यत्र सौवर्णास् तपनीयविचित्रिताः ॥
सुवर्णमणिचित्रं च कस्यैतद् धनुर् उत्तमम् ॥
इमे च कस्य नाराचाः सहस्रा लोमवाहिनः ॥
समन्तात् कलधौताग्रा उपासङ्गे हिरण्मये ॥
विपाठाः पृथवः कस्य गार्ध्रपत्राः शिलाशिताः ॥
हारिद्रवर्णाः सुनसाः पीताः सर्वायसाः शराः ॥
कस्यायम् असितावापः पञ्चशार्दूललक्षणः ॥
वराहकर्णव्यामिश्रः शरान् धारयते दश ॥
कस्येमे पृथवो दीर्घाः सर्वपारशवाः शराः ॥
शतानि सप्त तिष्ठन्ति नाराचा रुधिराशनाः ॥
कस्येमे शुकपत्राभैः पूर्वैर् अर्धैः सुवाससः ॥
उत्तरैर् आयसैः पीतैर् हेमपुङ्खैः शिलाशितैः ॥
कस्यायं सायको दीर्घः शिलीपृष्ठः शिलीमुखः ॥
वैयाघ्रकोशे निहितो हेमचित्रत्सरुर् महान् ॥
सुफलश् चित्रकोशश् च किङ्किणीसायको महान् ॥
कस्य हेमत्सरुर् दिव्यः खड्गः परमनिर्व्रणः ॥
कस्यायं विमलः खड्गो गव्ये कोशे समर्पितः ॥
हेमत्सरुर् अनाधृष्यो नैषध्यो भारसाधनः ॥
कस्य पाञ्चनखे कोशे सायको हेमविग्रहः ॥
प्रमाणरूपसंपन्नः पीत आकाशसंनिभः ॥
कस्य हेममये कोशे सुतप्ते पावकप्रभे ॥
निस्त्रिंशो ऽयं गुरुः पीतः सैक्यः परमनिर्व्रणः ॥
निर्दिशस्व यथातत्त्वं मया पृष्टा बृहन्नडे ॥
विस्मयो मे परो जातो दृष्ट्वा सर्वम् इदं महत् ॥
saṃspṛśya tāni cāpāni bhānumanti bṛhanti ca ||
vairāṭir arjunaṃ rājann idaṃ vacanam abravīt ||
uttara uvāca
bindavo jātarūpasya śataṃ yasmin nipātitāḥ ||
sahasrakoṭi sauvarṇāḥ kasyaitad dhanur uttamam ||
vāraṇā yasya sauvarṇāḥ pṛṣṭhe bhāsanti daṃśitāḥ ||
supārśvaṃ sugrahaṃ caiva kasyaitad dhanuruttamam ||
tapanīyasya śuddhasya ṣaṣṭir yasyendragopakāḥ ||
pṛṣṭhe vibhaktāḥ śobhante kasyaitad dhanur uttamam ||
sūryā yatra ca sauvarṇās trayo bhāsanti daṃśitāḥ ||
tejasā prajvalanto hi kasyaitad dhanur uttamam ||
śālabhā yatra sauvarṇās tapanīyavicitritāḥ ||
suvarṇamaṇicitraṃ ca kasyaitad dhanur uttamam ||
ime ca kasya nārācāḥ sahasrā lomavāhinaḥ ||
samantāt kaladhautāgrā upāsaṅge hiraṇmaye ||
vipāṭhāḥ pṛthavaḥ kasya gārdhrapatrāḥ śilāśitāḥ ||
hāridravarṇāḥ sunasāḥ pītāḥ sarvāyasāḥ śarāḥ ||
kasyāyam asitāvāpaḥ pañcaśārdūlalakṣaṇaḥ ||
varāhakarṇavyāmiśraḥ śarān dhārayate daśa ||
kasyeme pṛthavo dīrghāḥ sarvapāraśavāḥ śarāḥ ||
śatāni sapta tiṣṭhanti nārācā rudhirāśanāḥ ||
kasyeme śukapatrābhaiḥ pūrvair ardhaiḥ suvāsasaḥ ||
uttarair āyasaiḥ pītair hemapuṅkhaiḥ śilāśitaiḥ ||
kasyāyaṃ sāyako dīrghaḥ śilīpṛṣṭhaḥ śilīmukhaḥ ||
vaiyāghrakośe nihito hemacitratsarur mahān ||
suphalaś citrakośaś ca kiṅkiṇīsāyako mahān ||
kasya hematsarur divyaḥ khaḍgaḥ paramanirvraṇaḥ ||
kasyāyaṃ vimalaḥ khaḍgo gavye kośe samarpitaḥ ||
hematsarur anādhṛṣyo naiṣadhyo bhārasādhanaḥ ||
kasya pāñcanakhe kośe sāyako hemavigrahaḥ ||
pramāṇarūpasaṃpannaḥ pīta ākāśasaṃnibhaḥ ||
kasya hemamaye kośe sutapte pāvakaprabhe ||
nistriṃśo 'yaṃ guruḥ pītaḥ saikyaḥ paramanirvraṇaḥ ||
nirdiśasva yathātattvaṃ mayā pṛṣṭā bṛhannaḍe ||
vismayo me paro jāto dṛṣṭvā sarvam idaṃ mahat ||
Touching these radiant and great bows, Vairati, the king, said to Arjuna: 'To which hero belongs this finest bow, marked with a hundred golden dots and a thousand golden ornaments? Whose is this finest bow, on whose back gleam golden elephants in armor, with fine flanks and a fine grip? Whose is this finest bow, on whose back sixty pure-gold fireflies shine, set apart? Whose is this finest bow, where three golden suns blaze with radiance? Whose is this finest bow, where golden locusts are adorned with refined gold, and it is variegated with gold and gems? Whose are these thousands of naracha arrows with hair-fine feathers, gleaming at their tips on every side, in a golden quiver? Whose are these broad, strong arrows with vulture feathers, honed on stone, yellow in color, beautiful, yellow, entirely of iron? Whose is this black quiver, marked with five tiger signs and mingled with boar-ear designs, holding ten arrows? Whose are these broad, long, entirely iron arrows -- seven hundred narachas that feed on blood? Whose are these arrows with forward parts resembling parrot feathers, well-clad, with rear iron parts, yellow, golden-tailed, and honed on stone? Whose is this long arrow with a stone back and stone point, laid in a tiger-skin case, with a great gold-dappled grip? Whose is this great sword, with a fine edge, a variegated sheath, a great kinkini-hilt, a divine golden grip, without any blemish? Whose is this pure sword, placed in a leather sheath, with a golden hilt, unassailable, of Nishadha, able to bear a load? Whose is this sword of golden form in a sheath with five claws, perfect in measure and shape, yellow, like the sky? Whose is this heavy, yellow, steel sword, without blemish, in a golden sheath, well-tempered and blazing like fire? Tell me truly, Brihannada, since I ask. The highest wonder has seized me, seeing all this greatness.'
37b053ab582a · published Jul 16, 2026, 6:23:49 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Uttara's questions sound like homage rendered through description. He does not yet know the owners, but already senses that before him lies the weaponry of men whose lives were devoted to duty.